


Winter Chill

by Blooperbloop



Category: 19天 - Old先 | 19 Days - Old Xian
Genre: Drabble, Fluff, Friendship, I don't really know tbh, M/M, Oneshot, Shopping, Swearing, Winter, at least i'd say so, walking around at night
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-22
Updated: 2020-01-22
Packaged: 2021-02-27 09:26:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,336
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22354813
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Blooperbloop/pseuds/Blooperbloop
Summary: He Tian was summoned for a prolonged visit to his family estate and it leaves him feeling out of the loop, in more ways than one. On his return he grabs the first chance to see Guan Shan and this helps to reset himself back to something a little closer to normal.Russian Translation!
Relationships: He Tian/Mo Guanshan (19 Days)
Comments: 22
Kudos: 202





	Winter Chill

“Do your ears not fucking work? I literally just said that you need to-“

He Tian looked at him with a smile on his face like Guan Shan wasn’t cursing him out in a public space with people trying to ‘discreetly’ watch the spectacle. He watched Guan Shan’s face turn redder and redder as his phrases gained more heat, not really registering the words themselves but the angry inflections and the _power_ in his voice.

He Tian puffed out a breath into cold air, shivering with the momentary loss of heat. It was both cold and late, and he hadn’t thought to throw on anything warmer than a long-sleeved sweatshirt. He’d heard that Guan Shan was out and dashed outside almost immediately, wanting to ensure that they would ‘bump’ into each other no matter what. A one-hundred percent guarantee. He Tian doesn't leave things up to chance. 

Guan Shan didn’t ever seem to care about treading over He Tian’s potential landmines like the others. They wanted to avoid those miles ahead and basically weighed up every single one of their utterances, wanted to make sure they wouldn’t even _hover_ past the smallest of danger zones. He Tian could tell, could always see the hesitance and internal filters activating in his presence.

Sometimes Guan Shan would push it, sometimes they would truly fight, but after cooling down He Tian would realise how much he appreciated the challenge, _needed_ it, how it made him question whether his way was truly correct, whether his actions were truly justified.

It made him feel like he could improve, sometimes, broke the delusion that he didn’t have anything to work on, that he still had areas he could redeem himself in. 

“-And you said you’d be back before the exams, yet I had to fucking deal with Jian Yi and his moping all by myself, then stupid Zheng Xi also started going all sad and stressed and shit so-“

The last few weeks had been full of forced silence and sterile interactions so he’d practically grown out of being around the fire that was Guan Shan, and he welcomed that brand of warmth with an unusual hunger that he’s come to associate with him only. Like a breath of fresh air, so fresh that it was almost unfamiliar. It was a pleasant difference.

He Tian rubbed his hands together, however the friction didn’t do much to warm him up. He remained quiet, passive almost until the mention of a certain name in the dialogue piqued his attention.

“She Li? Is he bothering you? Why didn’t you tell me?” He stood straighter, pushing off the railing he had been leaning against.

Guan Shan rolled his eyes so hard He Tian felt his own eyes twisting.

“You really don’t listen to shit I say. I could tell you I’ve given birth to a chicken and you wouldn’t blink twice, asshole.”

“Who’s the father? Do you need extra financial support?” He Tian brought a hand to his chest. “I’m happy to provide.”

He swiftly side-stepped a kick to the shin and chuckled, for the first time in a while, at Guan Shan’s petulant growl, using the motion as an excuse to further himself into Guan Shan’s space, making the transition smooth so as to reduce complaints and avoid being shoved back.

The tip of his feet began growing numb and he wiggled them around within his shoes but couldn’t feel anything past pins and needles. At least there was some sensation, so it couldn't be too bad. He Tian listened to Guan Shan’s rambling until he finally wound down, huffing out a few more grumbly expletives before reaching an end.

“That’s basically it. You can see it for yourself on Monday. Anyway, I need to go-“

“Wait.” Without any thought He Tian grasped onto Guan Shan’s arm, squeezing hard enough that he could feel muscle through the thick coat he was wearing. A cold wave of air passed and goose bumps shot down his spine. “It’s been a while, let’s go eat or something.”

Guan Shan flicked his arm and shook off He Tian’s hand, eyes guarded and mouth curled into something semi-bitter. “Next time maybe try disappearing for a few more months, half a year perhaps, then it might be appropriate to celebrate your return or some shit like that.”

“Momo don’t be like that.” He Tian made his voice whiny, exaggerating it to try make things funnier: it's childish, cute, and unserious, serious as he might have been in the moment. He wasn't planning for them to separate right now at all. 

“It’s late and mum asked me to do the shopping, so no.”

“I’ll come with.”

“No you won’t. Go home.”

There wasn’t a home. He Tian stepped forward to match Guan Shan’s steps backwards. This didn’t bring them any closer but also didn’t create any more distance. He craved more but knew pushing Guan Shan right now would do more damage than otherwise.

Guan Shan looked at him with hard eyes, probably waiting for He Tian to back down.

But He Tian wouldn’t back down because that felt maladaptive, and maladaptive went against instinct. He's only human after all, regardless what the others see. 

Eventually Guan Shan ended their standoff and walked off back onto the main street, not prompting He Tian to leave again, which he took as acceptance, and with imperceptible urgency followed suit.

\-------

He didn’t realise how much he had frozen up until they’d walked through the heated entrance of the supermarket and painful prickles stung across his hands, knuckles throbbing. 

He Tian took in all the bright neon signs with sale offers and deals, the hum of the freezers and stand displays whirring their insides, a monotone liveliness despite it nearly being morning. There were a few stray shoppers here and there but mostly they walked through empty aisles. 

They went around picking out whatever the list scrunched in Guan Shan’shands required. Some foods had specific notes where his mother wanted a very select brand.

He Tian wasn’t all that practised in the domestic side of things and so didn’t fulfil his personal shop assistant duties to the best standard. Guan Shan provided him with many opportunities to learn however.

_‘No you put the eggs on top of the rest, they’re gonna get crushed.’_

_‘Do you not know what a courgette looks like? That’s a fucking cucumber.’_

_‘Why did you put this with the bread, the condensation will make it go soggy.’_

_‘I don’t need that, get the off-brand one. They usually put them at the bottom.’_

Once everything was crossed off and in the basket they went to a checkout, Guan Shan shooing him away and not letting him help with the packing.

_‘I have a system for this and you’re gonna mess it all up.’_

He did indeed have a system, packing things despite their cashier's speedy scanning and efficiently fitting everything into a single bag. Guan Shan's rough exterior really concealed how attentive he truly was to things. Had skills where you wouldn't expect.

He Tian took out his wallet but was again intercepted.

“Don’t, I’ve got my card.”

He Tian didn’t relent and tried handing over his card but Guan Shan kept swiping at him. The cashier looked impatient with both of them but she wasn’t his concern.

“It’s my treat, since it’s been so long.”

“It hasn’t. I have an income too you know. You’re holding everyone up. Move.”

He Tian didn’t move and wasn’t going to move. Selective obedience. There wasn't anyone behind them anyways. “Consider this an early birthday present.” He drummed his card against the till counter. “I won’t get you anything else later.”

They both knew this wasn’t true and He Tian knew Guan Shan was aware of this, but he moved to pick up the bags and glared at the lady as she inputted something on the till. 

A card swipe later and they walked out together, He Tian offering to take the bag but Guan Shan held on to it with a stubborn grip, taught skin a bright white. 

He Tian didn’t know where they were walking to and didn’t question it, so when they approached the familiar block of his own apartment he briefly blanked.

“Momo, it’s cute that you want to walk me back, but-“

“I’m gonna get you something warm and then you can bugger off all you want.”

“What?”

“You have a good food place basically under your apartment and you don’t even know. What do you do in your free time, jeez.” He tutted, one sharp ‘tsk’ and led them to the mentioned shop, He Tian again following a little aimlessly. He was out of his groove so to speak, mind working a few paces slower than usual, his characteristic sharpness dormant. 

They arrived at a little takeaway shop which was _very_ close to his apartment and Guan Shan was right, he’d never noticed it.

The whole interior and its decorations were a tacky orangey-red, with worn faux leather, plasticky stools and teeny circular tables. Not his typical place for food consumption but he could overlook things. 

He simply waited, standing guard for their previous shopping until Guan Shan returned, holding a steaming Styrofoam bowl of wonton soup and another two cups of what he assumed was tea, with a crumple of notes clutched in his palm, leftover change.

“Here.”

“What about-“

“I’m just having the tea cause I know you’re not gonna have it if I’m not having something, even though I had a whole ass dinner like an hour ago.” He unzipped his coat and placed it next to He Tian, sitting down opposite on a squeaky chair with a seat that was slightly angled too much to the left.

“Alright alright.”

The soup had a faint aftertaste of plastic but it warmed him up, this time internally as well as externally, and he held on to the cup with the tea for his hands to soak up extra heat while they sat. They no longer stung. 

Guan Shan had long finished his, and made the pretence of watching out of the window when in truth he was monitoring He Tian, and He Tian made sure to catch his gaze every time Guan Shan thought he could steal a glance without being noticed.

“Well,” he said. “Thank you for the feast. This noble knight would have starved otherwise.”

“Oh shut up. Can remember to bring your gold credit card but not your coat. It’s like you want to get pneumonia.”

“Don’t think that’s how it works.”

“You’re welcome, you dick.”

“Momo come on,” he gasped “This is a family restaurant.”

There was not in fact a single person other than them in the cramped space that probably couldn’t be considered a restaurant, but neither of them pointed out the technicalities. It really was late. Guan Shan would usually chew his neck over any little mistakes, always one for pedantics. 

Guan Shan took a very audible breath in and turned away from He Tian. “You’ve been quiet.”

“Just glad to be back. With you around.”

Again Guan Shan rolled his eyes but this didn’t distract He Tian from the red building up in his cheeks.

“Compliant as well.” He muttered.

“That’s a nice word.”

“Just- you’re all good, yeah?” Guan Shan gruffed lowly, like he was embarrassed to ask. He also looked like asking made him angry, thin copper eyebrows scrunching tightly and it made He Tian smile, which he hid with a sip of tea. 

But he had asked, and the concern and care inflated an extra layer of warmth within him. He Tian looked at Guan Shan who this time looked back, albeit just from the side.

“Much better now.”

Tomorrow he would reset back to how he is at default, would finally sleep off and wash off this residual low that always stuck on when he returned from his family estate, could already feel the warmth warding it away.

Guan Shan had insisted he go up to his apartment and sleep, that he could walk home by himself, but He Tian held him back and called a taxi. 

“Keep safe, don’t do drugs, and make sure to call when you get home-“

He Tian received a light smack on the chest, plastic bag in hand swinging with it. “I already have a mother, thanks. Just go up, you’re gonna get cold again.”

He waved him off with a smile and Guan Shan stuck a middle finger up at him through the taxi window. He Tian versed this with a wink and laughed at Guan Shan's resulting look of disgust. 

He stood outside until the taxi lights were long in the distance and only then went back into the shop. When taking his unfinished tea he noticed Guan Shan had left his coat, which he shook his head at but wore on his way back, coated in a familiar scent that kept wafting through his nose. 

A while later and back in his apartment his phone pinged, the notification screen displaying a simple

‘ _Home_. _’_

He Tian texted back. ‘ _Glad you made it. You left your coat. Unlike you to be forgetful.’_.

‘ _Just bring on Monday. Go sleep_.’

‘ _Goodnight_.’

His message was marked as read, and the ‘ _typing’_ status came up multiple times. He pondered over what it was Guan Shan was debating to say. Or not say.

He never found out as Guan Shan had clearly decided to leave it as is, but he was back now and could bother him later all he wanted. This thought lightened him up, knowing that even with all the uncertainties he still had to smooth out Guan Shan would still be by his side, huffing and puffing of course, but he'd be there, no matter how much he pretended he didn't want to be. The next day he woke up invigorated and ready to carry on from where he left things, cold dreariness completely melted off and out from his body. 


End file.
